Scar hair transplantation is a surgery that repairs hair loss in scar areas by transplanting hair follicles. It is widely used for hair loss caused by various reasons. With the development of science and technology, scar hair transplantation has gradually become one of the effective treatments for restoring normal appearance and improving self-confidence. This article will discuss the suitable groups for scar hair transplantation, the surgical process, postoperative care, etc., to help more patients who need such surgery make scientific decisions.
1. Suitable population for scar hair transplantation
Scar hair transplantation is suitable for patients with scar alopecia or hair loss caused by various reasons. Specifically, the following groups of people are more suitable for scar hair transplantation:
Patients with traumatic scars
Poor healing of facial or scalp wounds caused by external forces such as car accidents and falls often leaves scar tissue. Hair loss caused by these injuries cannot recover naturally. Scar hair transplant surgery can restore the original hair growth and thus improve the appearance.
Burn scar patients
Scarred areas left after burns, especially on the scalp and face, are often accompanied by permanent hair loss. Through hair transplantation technology, doctors can transplant healthy hair follicles to the burned areas to restore hair growth.
Patients with surgical scars
Certain medical surgeries may leave noticeable scars due to large incisions or poor healing, especially on the head or face. Such patients are also suitable for scar hair transplantation to improve the appearance of scars and hair loss after surgery.
Patients with scarring alopecia caused by hair loss
Due to some skin diseases, such as alopecia areata and scarring alopecia, the patient's hair follicles will be damaged, resulting in inability to grow hair. For these patients, scar hair transplantation surgery can effectively improve hair regeneration problems.
Patients with hereditary scarring alopecia
Some men and women suffer from local necrosis of hair follicles due to genetic factors, resulting in local scarring of hair loss. Scar hair transplantation surgery can transplant healthy hair follicles to these scar areas, which can significantly improve the appearance.
Elderly people and those with hair loss caused by immune system problems
Some elderly people or patients with compromised immune systems may experience gradual hair loss or even scarring due to long-term medication use or health problems. Through hair transplant surgery, these patients can also restore their hair.
2. Indications and contraindications of scar hair transplantation
Although scar hair transplantation is an effective surgery, it is not suitable for all patients. The appropriate scar hair transplantation population must meet the following conditions :
Hair follicle health : The hair follicles in the donor area must be healthy to ensure that the transplanted hair follicles can survive and grow normally. Usually, the occipital region and the temporal region on both sides of the patient are the most common donor areas.
Good blood supply to the scar area : The surgical area must have a good blood supply to facilitate the survival and growth of hair follicles.
Scars are relatively stable : Scars must be in a stable period, without a tendency to excessive scar hyperplasia. If scars are still in an active period, hair transplantation may affect the effect.
On the contrary, the following types of patients may not be suitable for scar hair transplant surgery:
Diabetic patients : Since diabetic patients have poor wound healing ability, which can easily lead to post-operative infection or hair follicle necrosis, scar hair transplantation is not recommended.
Patients with active skin diseases : If there are ulcers, redness, swelling or severe skin infections on the skin, hair transplant surgery will increase the risk of infection.
Patients with insufficient hair follicle resources : For patients with sparse or poor quality hair follicles in the donor area, scar hair transplant surgery may not achieve ideal results.
3. Surgical steps of scar hair transplantation
Scar hair transplant surgery is similar to ordinary hair transplant surgery. Common surgical methods include FUE (unit extraction method) and FUT (unit extraction method). The following are the main steps of the surgery:
Preoperative planning and evaluation
Before the operation, the doctor will conduct a detailed examination of the patient's scalp and scar area to determine the planting area and the location for hair follicle extraction, and communicate with the patient to develop a personalized surgical plan.
anaesthetization
Before the operation begins, the doctor will perform local anesthesia on the donor area and implant area to ensure that the patient feels no pain during the entire operation.
Hair follicle extraction
Under anesthesia, the doctor will use FUE or FUT technology to extract healthy hair follicles. FUE technology is to extract hair follicles individually from the donor area through a punch, while FUT is to cut a strip of skin with hair follicles and then separate it into follicular units. FUE is suitable for patients with shorter hair, while FUT is suitable for patients who need a large amount of hair transplantation.
Preparing hair follicles
The extracted hair follicles will be sterilized, cleaned and cultured to ensure that they are not damaged during the transplantation process.
Hair follicle transplantation
After precise design and marking, the doctor will accurately drill holes in the scar area and implant the prepared hair follicle units. The implanted hair follicles need to blend naturally with the surrounding hair to achieve the best growth effect.
Postoperative Care
After the operation, the patient needs appropriate postoperative care, and the doctor will usually give detailed care guidelines, including how to clean the scalp, precautions for medication, and avoid strenuous activities.
4. Postoperative Effect and Recovery of Scar Hair Transplantation
The effect of scar hair transplantation is usually more significant, but the recovery process is relatively slow, which is mainly reflected in the following aspects:
Early postoperative period
1-2 weeks after the operation, the patient may feel slight local swelling, redness or pain, which is normal. At this time, it is necessary to follow the doctor's instructions for care to avoid irritation of the scar area.
Hair follicle shedding stage
About 1 month after the operation, the transplanted hair follicles will enter the "resting phase". It is normal for the hair shaft to fall off at this time. Patients do not need to worry because new hair will grow again in 3-4 months.
Hair growth period
After about 6 months, the transplanted hair will begin to grow gradually and the patient can see the initial results. After 12 months, the vast majority of hair follicles will enter the growth phase and resume natural hair growth.
5. Risks and complications of scar hair transplantation
Although scar hair transplant surgery is relatively safe, there are still some potential risks and complications, mainly including:
Infection : Failure to strictly follow aseptic techniques during surgery or improper postoperative care may lead to infection.
Hair follicles do not survive : If the hair follicles are damaged during the transplant process or if postoperative care is improper, the hair follicle survival rate may be low, affecting the final effect.
Scar hyperplasia : Excessive proliferation in the scar area may affect hair growth.
Beauty Encyclopedia Tips:
Scar hair transplant surgery is a minimally invasive surgery with extremely high precision. It needs to be performed by experienced experts. Patients should fully understand their own conditions before choosing the surgery and choose a regular medical institution for treatment. After the surgery, strictly follow the doctor's instructions and carry out appropriate care to ensure better results and recovery.